MUSIC AND YOGA with DEATH AMPHETAMINE

Our resident vegan babe is bringing something new to Nook and Kranny. Check out the first installment of Music and Yoga featuring Bay Area DJ collective Death Amphetamine.

I recently had a chance to sit and talk with Adrian, Elison, Lindsey, and Peace. They are four of seven members from an up and coming DJ collective, (not so) affectionately known as Death Amphetamine.

Being that I try to reflect all things love and light and generally try to avoid all pharmaceuticals, there was obviously one thing that I instantly wanted clarification about.

Who wants to explain the meaning behind the name?

Lindsey: I wouldn’t say there’s any specific meaning behind the name Death Amphetamine, itself. If you look past that and see the seven individuals within the group, you’ll find a different variation of styles and meaning within the individual artists.

The group’s members range from 16 to 19 years old.

Considering your ages, where have you found influence in the Bay Area’s music and arts scene?

Peace: Deltron, I found him through my big cousin. It was the Deltron 3030 album and it was all fire. I also want to shoutout Shruggs, Amir, and Wallah for showing me you can do more at a young age. Also, meeting people now like Freeman keeps me wanting to do bigger things.

Lindsey: I want to speak on Lil B. Listening to his music, people find it comical with all the very vulgar stuff he’s saying, but if you look past that it’s all positivity. It’s all about the community and bringing people together. His positivity has created a wave of people even just being more open about musical tastes. It’s less judgmental.

What up and coming Bay Area artists are you listening to?

Lindsey: War of Icaza, Tay Hundreds, who actually moved to Texas, let me see who else. Even some people who are less known in an internet-sense, like Flexshomaru or a lot of the producers that are coming out. People may see it at is “it’s on SoundCloud, so it’s not that serious, but no, it’s really good music.”

Peace: Hash Gordon. Shoutout Aloe Boys and Sly Steez.

Elison: Way Less Effort.

Being a Richmond native myself, like the majority of their members, I understand firsthand the need to travel to Oakland or San Francisco just to get a sense of inclusion and have some type of involvement in the Bay’s music and art culture.

Through music, what type of impact or benefit do you hope to bring your own community?

Peace: Overall, more art… less watching and more creating. More participation.

Lindsey: Our sister brand, Guava Gang, is more so for people. It’s way for people to put their art there. I’ve talked to people who want to perform, who want to post their work, but just don’t how. That’s why we started hosting shows.

Is music the only medium of focus for you, personally?

Adrian: I’m into making clothes, also. Clothes, photography, and modeling for local brands like Plus Minus and Slums.

You guys seem pretty versed in the arts, but what do you all know about yoga?

Lindsey: Man…

Peace: Man…

I was prepared to cue the ‘Jeopardy’ music.

Adrian: I’ve seen my sister do yoga… and I’ve seen YouTube videos of couples doing yoga, which was kinda like goals.

Based on your lifestyles, how you would like to see yoga prove to be beneficial to you?

Lindsey: I want to know to release tension or stress in an everyday sense.

Elison: For me, I go to a lot of shows and I like to leave my mark. I like to go pretty crazy. So like every show, I’m really sore. Usually like my neck, legs, arms.

One of the main things I try to promote is that health and wellness can be for everyone. You don’t have to be a granola eating, incense lighting, avid listener of Erykah Badu to practice yoga. You don’t have to be a middle-aged soccer mom who pushes Prius to practice yoga. You don’t have to be super fit or flexible.

When many think of yoga, Vinyasa or Bikram instantly come to mind, but for some a nice and slow restorative practice is all that’s needed.

Sukhasana

To release tension in your neck try this easy pose variation. Come to a comfortable crossed-legged seated position. Extend your right arm high for a side body stretch. Slowly tilt your head to the right, bring your arm down over your ear and gently press down. Hold for 3-5 breath cycles and repeat on your left side.

Uttanasana

To release tension in the hamstrings, calves, and back, try this forward fold variation. Bring the feet parallel and hips-width distance apart, hinge and the hips and bring the chest towards the thighs. You can bend the knees as much as needed to do so and keep the spine elongated. Hands can graze the floor or to deepen the stretch, interlace the hands behind the neck. Hold for 3-5 breath cycles.

Alanasana

To release tension in the shoulders and upper arms, try this power lunge variation. Bring the right foot in front of you, stacking the front knee above the ankle. Keep your back heel lifted and back straight and actively engaged. This pose can also be modified by brining the back knee completely down. Square your hips by pulling the right side back and pushing the left side forward. Reach your arms high before interlacing the hands behind you. Keep your shoulders down and begin to draw them closer together to open the chest. Hold for 3-5 breath cycles before transitioning to your left side.

If you were to begin a practice, what would be on your yoga playlist?

Lindsey: ‘Pearls’ by Sade. The live version. 1994. San Diego. Specifically. Not the recorded version. Also, anything by Toro y Moi… ‘Feel Good’ by Eileezus.

Adrian: The Delegation’s ‘Oh Honey’.

Peace: ‘You Cant Stop the Rain’ by The Loose Ends

Elison: Bones. Not his hard stuff but the soft stuff. There’s like no beats, just guitar. And anything from his side project Surrender Dorothy.

If you’d like to know more about Death Amphetamine and their upcoming events, you can check them out collectively here.

You can also visit the four’s individual SoundClouds to hear more of their music interests by visiting the links below.